ASTM D6304: Easier determination of moisture in petroleum products

Water in petroleum products, such as lubricating oils, jet fuel, or other similar products can have deleterious effects. Moisture is often associated with corrosion and engine wear. Knowing the water content of petroleum products can prevent damage to costly infrastructure and ensure safer operations.

Direct injection (Procedure A)

The direct sample injection into the titration cell is recommended for low viscosity samples without expected interferences. An aliquot of known mass or volume is injected into the conditioned titration cell of a coulometric Karl Fischer apparatus, where it is titrated automatically, and the results calculated.

Method D6304 permits the use of coulometric generator electrodes with and without diaphragm. We recommend the use of the generator electrode with diaphragm, due to the low water content of the samples.

Not all petroleum products are soluble in Karl Fischer reagent and phase separation can occur when using Procedure A. If phase separation occurs, the reagents need to be replaced. The number of samples which can be analyzed without phase separation depends on the volume and type of sample, the volume of reagent, and the sample solubility in the reagent.

However, for these kinds of samples, Procedures B or C are often the better solution. The same is the case if your sample contains interfering substances.

Water extraction using an oven (Procedure B)

An oven (Procedure B) can be used to analyze samples that do not readily dissolve in Karl Fischer reagent, viscous samples, and samples with components that are expected to interfere with the Karl Fischer reaction.

For the analysis, a representative sample is weighed into a glass vial, which is sealed immediately. The vial is then heated in an oven to extract any water. The vaporized water is carried into the conditioned Karl Fischer titration cell by means of a dry carrier gas where it is titrated.

The ideal temperature used for the evaporation depends on the sample. The 874 Oven Sample Processor can perform a temperature gradient test to determine the optimal temperature for removing water without degrading the sample.

Water extraction using an evaporator (Procedure C)

Instead of using an oven, Procedure C explains how a water evaporator can be used for the water extraction of samples that do not readily dissolve in Karl Fischer reagent, viscous samples, and samples with components that are expected to interfere with the Karl Fischer reaction.

In this procedure, an aliquot of sample is transferred into a heated chamber containing a suitable solvent (most often, toluene). The temperature of the heated chamber depends on the solvent used. The water vaporizes along with the solvent in an azeotrope distillation. The azeotrope is then transferred into the conditioned Karl Fischer titration cell via a dry non-reactive carrier gas.

If you wish to read more about the three procedures and their advantages and disadvantages, download our free White Paper below.

Moisture in petroleum products according to ASTM D6304

When to use which procedure

Procedure A is mainly suited for liquid samples with a low viscosity, such as diesel fuel, jet fuel, or aromatics. A low viscosity is required in order to be able to add the sample easily into the Karl Fischer titration cell. Furthermore, the samples require a good solubility in Karl Fischer reagent. Otherwise phase separation will occur, which requires the replacement of the Karl Fischer reagents. While the reagent exchange can be automated, time is still required until the reagents reach dryness again.

Even if samples are soluble in Karl Fischer reagents, there might still be issues with using Procedure A due to the sample matrix creating side reactions and thus false results. In this case Procedure B or C is the better option.

Procedure B is suitable for all kinds of samples, regardless of their viscosity or matrix composition. It is only the evaporated water that is transferred into the titration cell, leaving the sample as well as interfering matrix components remaining in the sealed vial, which can be simply disposed of after the analysis. For this reason, the reagent exchange frequency is greatly reduced, saving costs as less reagent is required. Depending on the workload in your lab, it is even possible to fully automate the analysis including reagent exchange using an automated Karl Fischer oven.